CHARENTON-LE-PONT, France—Yesterday, Essilor International (Reuters: ESSI.PA) announced its second quarter results and second half results for the period ending June 30, 2015.

For the second quarter of 2015, total consolidated revenue reached €1,749 million, up 4.4 percent on a like-for-like basis when compared with the same period last year. Worldwide, lenses and optical instruments generated consolidated revenue of €1,501 million during the second quarter of 2015, up 4.9 percent on a like-for-like basis when compared with the same period last year. Lenses and optical instrument consolidated revenue during the second quarter of 2015 was divided as follows: North America €663 million, Europe €462 million, Asia/Pacific/Middle East/Africa €269 million, and Latin America €107 million. Latin America experienced the largest increase on a like-for-like basis (+10.5 percent) from the same period last year.

In other categories during the second quarter of 2015, sunglasses and readers generated revenues of €199 million, up 3.2 percent on a like-for-like basis; and equipment reached €49 million, down 7.1 percent on a like-for-like basis when compared with the second quarter of 2014.

For the first half of 2015, total consolidated revenue reached €3,408 million, up 4.2 percent on a like-for-like basis when compared with the same period last year. Net profit for the first half of 2015 was €422 million, up 18.4 percent when compared with the same period last year.

Worldwide, lenses and optical instruments generated consolidated revenue of €2,954 million during the first half of 2015, up 4.7 percent on a like-for-like basis when compared with the same period last year. Lenses and optical instrument consolidated revenue during the first half of 2015 was divided as follows: North America €1,312 million, Europe €904 million, Asia/Pacific/Middle East/Africa €536 million, and Latin America €202 million. Again, it was Latin America that experienced the largest increase on a like-for-like basis (+10.3 percent) from the same period last year.

In other categories during the first half of 2015, sunglasses and readers reached €362 million in consolidated revenue, up 2.6 percent on a like-for-like basis; and equipment reached €92 million, down 4.8 percent on a like-for-like basis when compared with the first half of 2014.

Among the highlights of the first half of 2015: the start of the commercial roll-out of several new products, including Eyezen, Varilux Comfort 3.0, Varilux Physio 3.0 progressive, Transitions XTractive photochromic and E-SPF 35 UV-protection index lenses; consumer media campaigns spurring sales of Crizal, Varilux, Transitions and Xperio brands; and the expansion of the online business and ongoing reorganization of Coastal.com, acquired in 2014, in particular the adoption of its new commercial identity under Clearly.

Globally, Essilor has completed nine acquisitions since Jan. 1, 2015, four during the first half and five since July 1, 2015.

During the first half of 2015, in Latin America, a majority stake was acquired in Grupo Vision, an integrated laboratory and distributor based in Costa Rica and Nicaragua that reported around US$40 million in revenue in 2014; and a majority stake was acquired in Segment, an ophthalmic lens manufacturer and distributor based in São Paulo state in Brazil, with revenue of around €4 million a year. Also during the first half of 2015, Essilor partner Chemiglas acquired all outstanding shares of distributor Optimax in South Korea, and Essilor subsidiary FGX International acquired all outstanding shares of Fabris Lane, a specialized mid-tier sunglasses designer and distributor in the United Kingdom that has full-year revenue of around £14 million.

Significant events occurring since July 1, 2015 were: In Turkey, Essilor finalized the acquisition of a majority stake in Merve, an Istanbul-based optical products distributor with a portfolio of proprietary sunglass frame brands, including Ossé and Mustang. In India, Essilor India acquired majority stakes in GKB Vision and Prime Lenses, two ophthalmic lens manufacturers and distributors with combined annual revenue of around €7 million. In Australia, Essilor subsidiary Shamir acquired a majority stake in Eyres Optics, a producer and distributor of prescription sunglasses and safety eyewear with annual revenue of around A$6 million. In the U.S., Essilor entered into an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Vision Source, a national network providing services to independent optometrists.

Commenting on these results, Hubert Sagnieres, chairman and chief executive officer of Essilor, said, “Our good performance has confirmed the validity of our strategy designed first, to leverage the many interconnections existing between the prescription lenses, sunwear and online businesses and second, to bring us closer to our end-consumer. The success of our consumer advertising campaigns and our solid growth in developed markets are driving our higher value-added businesses. These good results underscore, once again, the structural growth in our two main markets, vision correction and eye protection, and the potential offered worldwide by our mission, which is 'to improve lives by improving sight.’ Given that these dynamics will remain operative in the second half and that our business is expected to enjoy faster growth, we are confident in our ability to meet our full-year financial targets.”

Regarding online sales, during a conference call with investors yesterday, Sagnieres said, “This is a powerful way to reach all types of consumers with all types of products. The first sites we have acquired, EyeBuyDirect and FramesDirect are growing extremely fast. They are very powerful indicators of where Coastal.com can be once it is fully reorganized.”